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“In 2021, the Council of Public Broadcaster implemented the budget program Radio and TV Broadcasting with 6 measures,” the Chairman of the Council of Public Broadcaster Ara Shirinyan noted at the joint sitting of the RA NA Standing Committees on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport and on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs during the discussion of the annual report on the RA State Budget Execution for 2021.

In the reporting year, 174 million 125 thousand AMD was allocated for funding the activities of the Council and the Staff. As a result of a number of decisions made by the Government, the adjusted plan was 144 million AMD. 142 million AMD was spent, saved 1 million 419 thousand AMD.

The Public Television participated in the competition for the license to broadcast in the capital and received the right to operate the First News Channel with 24-hour daily news. 427 million 467 thousand AMD was allocated from the reserved fund by the decision of the Government for this purpose.

According to Ara Shirinyan, it has been envisaged to allocate 959 million AMD for the activity of the Public TV and Radio. The adjusted plan was 863 million AMD.

The Committee Chair Sisak Gabrielyan highlighted the fact that the official games of the National Team of Armenia are broadcasted by the Public TV Company.

The Chairman of the Commission on Television and Radio Tigran Hakobyan informed that 324 million AMD was allocated to the Commission in 2021, the performance was 97.3%. There were savings at the expense of the salary fund, business trips.

The Commission worked overloaded in 2021. According to Tigran Hakobyan, the availability of additional funds would allow the Commission to perform its functions more effectively.

“Those TV companies which violate the terms of the license, the legislation and the rules of the Commission will be held accountable,” the rapporteur underlined. 890 million 930 thousand AMD was allocated for the implementation of the programs Armenia-Diaspora Partnership and Involvement of the Potential of the Diaspora in the RA Development Process carried out by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs,” the Deputy Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Yerem Simonyan noted.

815 million 915 thousand AMD was allocated for the implementation of the program aimed at the development of Armenia-Diaspora partnership in the reporting year, however, conditioned by the need to review the costs, that amount was reduced. As a result, the cost of the program was 359 million 435 thousand AMD, the cost– 323 million 616 thousand AMD.

The costs for the program Step Toward Home and other ones were also reviewed and reduced. 400 teenagers and young people participated in the program Step Toward Home in the reporting year.